Apparatus for treating the feet



T E E F E H T G Pm. u m T m LS U T A R A P P. A

Filed April '1. 1922 LESTER J. KARPE dam, v

Oct. 9, 192a 1,687,368

L. J. KARPF APPARATUS FOR TREATING THE FEET Filed April 7. 1922 2 Shoots-Sheet 2 Patented Get. 9, 1928.

UNITED STATES LESTER .J'. KARIEF,

or DAYTON, OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING THE FEET.

Application filed April 7,

This invention relates to an apparatus for treating the feet and is designed more particularly for correcting what is known as flat feet.

To restore a flat foot to its normal position it is necessary that the bones of the foot be adjusted relatively one to the other and one object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus by means of which pressure may be exerted in opposite directions on adjacent bones ofthe foot. 7.

A further ob 'ect of the invention is to provide such'a device whiohwill be adjustable'to accommodate it to. feet of different sizes and to enable the pressure to be applied at the desired point in each case.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device which will be simple in its construction and operation and which can be produced at a relatively low cost.

Other obj ects of the invention will appear as the device is described in detail.

In the accompanying drawingsv Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a device embodying my inventionylfiig. 2 is a top plan view of such a device; Fig. 3 is a front end elevation of the same; Fig. 4 is a vertical. sectional View of the pressure device; Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the thrust rods; Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are detail views showing different shaped heads for thrust rods.

In carrying out my invention 1 provide supports for the front and rear portions of the foot and preferably provide these supports with means for holding the foot forward portion, or ball, of the foot. As

against movement relat vely thereto.

Arranged between these supports in a position to engage the underside of the intermediate portion, or arch, of thefoot, is a suitablepressure device which engages the foot and exerts upward pressure thereon. This device is normally stationary butis adjustable in a horizontal plane to bring it into contact with the desired portion of the foot and may, if desired, be vertically adjustable to vary the pressure exerted thereby on the foot. Downward pressure is applied to the upper side of the foot in any suitable manner, as by means of thrust rods adapted to engage a bone of the foot adjacent to the 3 bone which is engaged by the lower pres sure device. This thrust rod may be actuated in any suitable-manner, as by striking it with the hand or a light mallet. The appa- 1922. Serial No. 550,528.

ratus for performing the several functions character but is here shown as a rectangular box-like structure. Mounted at oneend of this base is a support for the heel .ofthe' foot which, as here shown, comprises an upright member,or standard, 2, having mo'untseat, 3 adapted to receive the'heel of the foot. To accommodate the device to feet of different sizes, I prefer to provide a plurality of seats 3 of dilferent sizesand to interchan eably mount the seats upon. the standard 2, so that any selected seat 'maybe quickly and easily applied to the standard. As here shown, the standardis provided with a plurality of recesses 4. which receive pins 5 carried by the seat 3. It is also desirable thatsome means should be provided for retaining the heel'in position on-the seat 3 and as here shown a strap 6 is secured to the base 1 and extends about the 'foot adjacent to the heel. The strap is provided with a buckle 7 by means of which it may be drawn taut and the foot clamped firmly in the seat thus preventing the movement of the heel, in any direction relatively to the seat. If desired, a pad 8 may be interposed between the strap 6 and the foot. I r

A separate support is provided for, the

here shown,-the support is in the form of a flat platform 9 carried by a plurality. of standards 10 slidably'mounted in slots 11 extending lengthwise of the base 1 so that the front support 9 may be moved toward and from the rear, or heel, support. The

' support may be locked in adjusted positions ed on its upper end a recessed member, or

in any suitable manner, but as here shown, I00,

the standards are in the form of bolts which extend through theslots,-and are provided with wing nuts 12 by 'means ofwhich they maybe secured in then-adjusted positions.

To hold the foot against movement on the supportQ the latter is provided with holding members, or flanges, 13 which extend above the upper surface of the supporting platform 9 and are adjustable towardandfrom each other to clamp the foot betweenthem. The no I holding members may be adj ustably mounted on the support in any desired manner. its here shown, each such member is provi ed with an apertured lug 14 which extend through the respective slots'15 in the supporting platform and are adapted to receive an actuating rod, or shaft, 16. This rod is rotatably mounted between its ends in a hearing 17 depending from the supporting plat form and is held against lengthwise movement in that bearing by collars 18. The two end portions of the red are provided with oppositely extending threads on which the respective lugs 14 of the two holding members are mounted, so that the rotation of the rod will simultaneously impart morement to both holding members and cause these members to move toward or from each other. The rod may be rotated in any suitable manner but as here shown it- .is provided with squared heads 19 to either oi which a socket wrench or like implement maybe applied. 1 have also provided a strap 20 which is connected at its ends with the respective holding members and is adapted to secure the foot firmly on the support between the holding members. It desired, the holding members 13 may have secured thereto guide blocks 21 which are mounted in slots 22and serve to hold the two flange like holding members against turning movement. Mounted between the supports for the front and rear portions of the foot and adapted to exert upward pres sure on the intermediate portion of the foot is a suitable pressure device which, in the presentconstruction, comprises a pressure member having a relatively small head 23 and a shank 24' which is mounted in a bracket 25 car icd by a standard 26 mounted in a housing, orbearing member, 27. In the form here shown, the shank 24, of the pressure member is screw threaded, but is slidably mounted in an aperture in the bracket 25 and is held against rotation in that bracket by a pin 28, mounted in the bracket and extending into a slot 29 which extends lengthwise of the shank 24. Threadedonto the shank above the bracket 25 is a milled nut 30 the rotation of which will im part vertical movement to the pressure member. The bracket 25 may be mounted on the standard 26 in any suitable manner but I prefer to mount it so that it can be adjusted about ahorizontal axis, thereby enabling the pressure to be applied to the foot at different angles. As here shown, the upper portion of the standard 26 isprovided with a bearing 31 having a tapered socket in which is mounted a tapered boss 32 carried by the bracket 25. This boss is provided with a screw threaded aperture 33 arranged axially thereof, adapted to receive a clamping screw 34 extending through the bearing 31 and provided witha handle 35. When the clamp- Lsszses ing screw is loosened the bracket 25 and the parts carried thereby may be adjusted about a horizontal axis, but the tightening down of the screw 34 will securely lock these parts againstsuch adjustment. The standard 26 is vertically adjustable in the housing, or bearing member, 27' and, as here shown, this standard is provided with screw threads but is slidably mounted within the housing, it

relatively large adjustments, through the shank 26 and then toefiect the more accurate adjustments by the shank 24 of the pressure Further, when the pressure is to member. be applied at an angle to'the vertical the adjustability of the pressure member 23 relative to its bracket enables this pressureto be applied at the desired angle.

The pressure member 23 is adjustable in a horizontal plane to bring the same into operative relation with a selected part'oi the foot, thereby enabling the pressure member to be placed beneath and against any selected bone of the foot. In the present construction this adjustmentfis accomplished by shifting the pressure device as a .whole and as here shown the housing 27 is mounted on a bar 39 which extends transversely to the base, 1 and is provided in its end portions with longitudinal slots 40. The bar 39 is connected with the base 1 by screws 41 having wing nuts 42 by means of which the bar may be rigidly-secured to the base but" i which will permit the bar to be adjusted transversely to the base. The bolts 41 are mounted in slots 43 which extend length.-

wise of the base and it will be apparent that by loosening the nuts on the bolts the pressure device can, by a combination of the transverse and longitudinal"movements oi the bar 39 be moved into any desired position within the limits of its movement.

Pressure can be applied to the upper side of the toot in various ways, but it is usually head of suitable shape and padded, as shown in Figs. 5 to 8, so that the pressure may be applied at the point and in the direction desired. Preferably the pressure is applied to the thrust rods as striking the same on the end with the hand or a light mallet.

The operation of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that the foot to be treated is firmly clamped in position on the front and rear supports and that the lower pressure device is then adjusted to bring the pressure head in line with the particular bone to which the pressure is to be applied from below. The pressure head is then elevated to exert the desired amount of pressure on the bone. After the lower pressure member has been adjusted aselected thrust rod is applied to an adjacent bone and pressure applied thereto from above, which tends to adjust the two bones relatively one to the other. By a series of treatments the bones of the foot can be restored to a natural, or normal, position.

\Vhile I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention I wish it to be understood that I do not desire tobe limited to the details thereof as various modifications may occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having now fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, means to support the front and rear portions of the foot, a supporting member arranged beneath the intermediate part of the foot, a bracket carried by said supporting member, a pressure member comprising a head and a shank, the shank being slidably mounted in said bracket and held against rotation therein, and a nut threaded onto said shank above said bracket to adjust said pressure member relatively to said bracket.

2. In a device of the character described, means to support the front and rear portions of the foot, a housing arranged beneath the intermediate portion of the foot, a standard slidablymounted in said housing and held against rotation therein, a nut screw threaded onto said standard to adjust the same in said housing, a bracket mounted on said standard for adjustment about a horizontal axis, means for securing said bracket in adjusted positions, a pressure member comprising a head, a shank mounted in said bracket and held against rotation relatively thereto, and a nut screw threaded onto said shank for adjusting the same relatively to said bracket.

3. In a device of the character described, a base, means carried by said base to support the. front and rear portions of the foot, a pressure device mounted on said base between said supporting means, a bar connected with said pressure device and having longitudinal slots extending transversely to said base, said base having longitudinal slots intersecting the slots in said bar, and clamping devices extending through said slots to secure said bar in adjusted positions.

4, In a device of the character described, a

base, a standard mounted on said base and having a seat at the upper end thereof to receive the heel of the foot-,means for securing the heel in said seat, a supporting structure for the forward portion of the foot, said structure comprising laterally adjustable members and a clamping member to hold the foot against movement on said support, said supporting structure being adjustable toward and from said standard, and a pressure device arranged between said supporting structure and said standard to exert upward pressure on the intermediate portion of the foot. I

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature hereto.

LESTER J. KARPF. 

